Adjustable concave



J. W. KUNTZ.

ADJUSTABLE CONCAVEL APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1918.

1 ,334, 9 1 O Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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I. W. KUNTZ.

ADJUSTABLE CONCAVE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue,27. 1918.

1 ,334; ,9 1 O Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

aww/wboz witmeoo 12o J. W. KUNTZ.

ADJUSTABLE CONCAVE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2T, I918.

1,3343 1 O. Patented Mar. 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

3M0 1 1 foz GHQ Imam J. W. KUNTZ.

ADJUSTABLE CONCAVE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-27. 1918.

1,334,910. Patented Mar. 23,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. KUNTZ,OF-OAKVILLE, IOWA.

.ADJUSTABLECONCAVE.

Application filed August 27, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, JosnrH V. KUNTZ, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Uakville, in the county of Louisa and State of to a, have invented new and useful improvements in Adjustable Concaves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to eoncaves for threshing machines and has for its object to produce a simple means whereby the number of rows of teeth in the concave be varied to produce desired results according to the kind and condition of the grain to be threshed.

Tn carrying out my invention it is my purpose to produce a concave in the nature of a frame, the side members of which com prising inter-engaging segments, one of the segments having spaced rocking bars arranged thereon, and the said bars carrying the teeth which cooperate with the teeth of the threshing cylinder, means being providcd for adjusting the segmental sides one upon the other to bring the toothed bars toward or away fromathe cylinder, and means being provided for rocking the bars whereby certain toothed or plain faces of the latter will be arranged next to the cylinder.

ft is also my purpose to produce an adjustable concave for threshing machines which shall be of a simple'nature, easily and quickly adjusted, rigidly held in such adjusted positions, and thoroughly effective in obtaining desired results.

Uther objects and advantages will appear as the nature of theiinvention is better understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate cross sectional views of threshing machine cylinder and concave showing various adj ustments of the concave bars.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.. V

Fig. 6 is a sectional View approximately on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 7 to 9 illustrate details.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustrating a modification.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the segment employed.

Fig. 12 is a similar view of the locking plate for the concaves.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Serial No. 251,658.

In the d 'awings the machine body is in dicated by the numeral 15, and'the thresher cylinder .16 which is journaled thereinis of the ordinary well known construction.

Abovethe grain pan 17, and below the cylinder 16 there aresecured to the sides of thebody suitable cleats 18 upon which is supported the frame 19 forthe improved concave.

The frame 19 includes a fiat bottom .20 WlliClllltlS right angular rip-standing ends 21. The ends have their upper edges concaved as at 22 being cut in the are of a circle, and the said incurved edges are preferably provided each with a continuous groove On the incurved edge 22 of each of the ends 21 rests a segmental member 24. Each of the segments has its lower edge provided with a tongue 25 that is received in thegroove 23 of one of the ends 21. The elevated edge of the sides of the frame19 is positioned adjacent to but below the feed plate 26 and this end of the frame will hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, be referred to as the outer end thereof. The segments 2 1,. at the inner ends thereof are notched or bifurcated as at 27, and the inner wall of the bifurcation is round, as indicated by the numeral 28.

The sides 21, adjacent to the outer end of the frame 19 are provided with alining elongated openings which are designated by the numerals 29, and within each of these openings is arranged a wheel or roller which may be and preferably is provided with side plates or flanges which contact with the opposite faces of the side members. 21 of the frame to hold the members 30 in the openings 29. Received in the bifurcated ends 27 of the segments 24, and contacting with the inner round wall 28 thereof are similar wheels or rollers 31. Connecting the respective wheels or rollers 30 is a shaft 32 arranged ccceutrically with respect to the said wheels or rollers 30, and likewise eccentrically connected with the wheels or rollers 31 is a shaft 33. Both the shafts 32 and 33 extend a suitable distance beyond one of the sides of the frame 19 and have keyed thereon worm wheels 34: and 35 respectively, which are engaged by worms 36 and 37 secured on operating shafts 38 and 39 respectively. By turning the shaft 38 the shaft 32 will operate the eccentric 30 moving the frame longitudinally, .lthus bringing the frame toward or away from the eccentric 31, causing the segments to move longitudinally over the frame 19 which also brings the segments toward or away from thecylinder 16. When a tongue and groove connection is provided between the segments and the sides of the frame, the same is in the nature of a loose connection serving only to prevent the lateral movement of the segments with respect to the frame and not interfering withthe longitudinal adjustment of either the frameor segments, and in this connection it is to be stated that other means may be provided for holding the segments on the side members of the frame against movement.

The segments 24, upon their inner faces are provided with spaced round depressions 40. The concaves include triangular end plates 44 which have bars 43 secured or formed with two of their edges. The end plates have round openin 's 42. In these openings are pivoted disks that are also received in the depressions 40 of the segments 24. The disks are connected to the segments by bolts as disclosed in Fig. 7.

One face of each of the bars 43 is provided with rows of teeth 45, the said bars each being provided with a plurality of spaced apertures arranged in longitudinal rows and the shanks of the teeth 45 being arranged in certain of the apertures perof'teeth may beprovided.

mit of a single or double row of teeth being arranged on the bars, it being understood, of course, that any desired number of rows of apertures, and consequently rows The shanks of the teeth are preferably threaded and engaged by nuts so that the same are effec tively held on the respective bars. This is a convenient and economical arrangement permitting one or more rows of teeth coacting with the teeth of the cylinder to best act upon the various kinds or classes of grain being threshed, the bars being adjusted in a manner which will now be described.

Secured to the right angnlarly disposed pairs of bars 43, at points out of a line with each other are two of the sides or edges of substantially square frames 46, the outer corner'of each ofthe frames being provided with an ear 47 Pivotally secured to each of the ears 47 is one end of a link 48, the

opposite end of each of the links being pivotally connected to cars 49 provided on sleeves 50. The sleeves 50 are adjustably secured on rods or levers 51. Each of the levers has its outer end formed to provide a handle 52 and its lower edge provided with spaced notches Each of the levers passes freely through a substantially rectangular opening 54 in vertically disposed plates or lugs 55 pr vided on the outer edge of the bottom 20 of the frame 19. The lower wall provided by each of the openings 54 is beveled forming a toothed surface 56 to engage with the notches 52 of the levers 51 when the levers are moved longitudinally. By this arrangement it will be noted that the tooth carrying bars of any of the members comprising the concave, when actuated, will rock the bars 43 to cause the same to present the desired rows of teeth to co-act with the teeth of the cylinder 16.

In Fig. 1 it will be seen that the device is adjusted so that each bar will present two rows of teeth for co-operation with the cylinder. his arrangement is suitable for threshing wheat in good condition. Under the arrangei'nent shown in Fig. 2 the foremost bar 43 presents two rows of teeth and the rearmost a single row of teeth for cooperation with the cylinder, the intermediate member being adjusted to present a blank face to the cylinder. This arrangement will be found suitable for threshing wet tangled grain. lVith the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the foremost bar presents a blank face to the cylinder, while the rearward and intermediate bars each present two rows of teeth, this arrangement being suitable for threshing grain, the condition of which renders it desirable that the cylinder exercise a suitable degree of suction before beating the grain against the concave teeth. It will be apparent that other conditions may be met by different adjustments of the concave bars and by the adjustment of the teeth on the said bars which will readily suggest themselves to the skilled thresher.

The lever 51 is provided with spaced apertures 5'7 through which are passed cotterpins that contact with one or both of the faces of the brackets so that the lovers are positively held locked. This arrangement also holds the segments in contacting engagement with the sides of the frame when the latter is moved longitudinally on the cleats.

In Figs. 10 to 12 I illustrate means for locking the concaves without necessitating the notching of the operating lovers. The cylinder 50 of a construction similar to that previously described, and below the cylinder, to one side of the teeth thereof l: secure a segmental plate 51. The concaves 52 have their shafts journaled in suitable bearing openings 53 in a segmental sup porting plate 54 which may be moved in a manner substantially similar to that pre- *iously described. Each of the concavesbQ has loosely connected therewith an operat ing lever 55,

the said levers having their outer ends supported by cross bars 56 arranged upon plates 57 secured to and depending from the outer end of the plate The segmental plate 51 is so arranged that the lower edge thereof will be contacted by either of the rounded or concaved surfaces of the concaves 52, when the said concaves are moved in such direction, and by virtue of such contacting engagement the concaves will be held in locked position.

Having thus described the invention, What l claim is:

1. The combination of a threshing machine having a toothed cylinder therein; of a 1011- gi udinal frame positioned below the cylinder, and comprising an upper and a lower section arranged one on the other and having curved confronting edges which are disposed in contacting engagement with each other, concaves carried by the upper frame sections, and means for longitudinally mov ing either of the sections to cause the upper section to travel. angularly on the lower section and thereby adjust the concaves with respect to the cylinder.

2. The combination of a threshing machine having a toothed. cylinder; of a frame supported below the cylinder said frame comprising upper and lower contacting sections, said sections having curved confronting edges which are disposed in contacting engagement with each other, inter-engaging guide means at the contacting edges of the sections, concaves carried by the upper frame section, and means for moving one of the sections longitudinally independently of the other section to cause the upper section to travel on the lower section and thereby adjust the concaves on the upper section with respect to the cylinder.

3. The combination of a threshing n1achine having a toothed cylinder journaled therein; of a concave c rrying the frame supported below the cylinder, said. frame comprising an upper and lower section ar ranged one on the other and having their contacting edges curved, interengaging between said contacting edges fo adj usting the sections against lateral movement with respect to each other and having guiding sections in movement one on the other, means on each of the sections for moving the said sections longitudinally of each other, and by virtue of such movement a angular engagement of the sections to adjust the concaves with respect to the cylinder.

l. The combination with a threshing ma chine having a toothed threshing cylinder journaled therein, and having cleats on the sides thereof below the cylinder, a frame resting on the cleats, said frame having sides made up of sections which have their confronting edges engaging one with the other, means for holding the sections against lateral movement, means for longitudinally including side members which rest on the cleats, the side members of the said frame being constructed of sections having their confronting edges interengaging, means for longitudinally moving either of said sections independent of the other section, concaves pivotally supported by the upper sections of the sides, and means for independently turning said concaves for bringing any of the faces thereof opposite the toothed threshing cylinder.

6. The combination with a threshing ma chine having a toothed cylinder journaled therein, of a frame ar 'anged below the cylinder, said frame having its sides concaved at the upper edges thereof, a segmental member arranged on each of the concaved edges of the sides, inter-engaging means be tween the segments and the sides of the frame for preventing lateral movement therebetween, i'neans for sliding the frame beneath the segments, and a concave carried by the segments.

7. The conilbination with a threshing ma chine having a toothed threshing cylinder therein, cleats on the sides of the machine below the cylinder, aframe resting on said cleats, said frame having the upper edges of its sides concaved and provided with a con tinuous groove, a segmental member resting on the concaved edge of each of the sides, a tongue on each. of the segments engaging in the grooves in the sides, means for sliding the segments over the sides, means for sliding the frame on the cleats beneath the segments, means for holding the segments against the frame when. the latter is so moved, and a concave carried by the segments.

8. In combination with a threshing machine having a toothed threshing cylinder journaled therein and having its sides provided with cleats disposed below the cylinder, of a frame resting on the cleats, said frame including side members which have their upper edges concaved and provided with continuous grooves, a segmental memher resting on each of the concaved edges of the sides, each of said segments having a tongue received in the respective grooves, said sides having alining round openings, a roller in each of the openings, an eccentrically arranged shaft connected to the roller, a worm gear on the shaft, a worm engaging the gear, an operating shaft for the worm, said segments having one of their ends bifurcated and the inner Walls of the bifurcations rounded, a roller in each of the bifurcations, a shaft eccentrically connecting the rollers, a orm gear on the shaft, a Worm ineshin with the gear, an operating shaft for 1311:

Worm, a com-ave carried by the segments, and means between the concave and the frame for holding the segments against the 10 frame.

In testimony whereof I nflix my signature.

JOSEPH W. KUNTZ. 

